22 January 2006

Stars of stage and screen # 3 : Wheeler and Woolsey



Reverse reads:

A series of 48, no. 6

The famous comedians made a big hit in their first appearance together in "Rio Rita" with Bebe Daniels (no.46 in this series), later in "So This is Africa" and "Diplomaniacs." Wheeler was a theatre prop-boy and Woolsey a jockey who ceased riding after injury, before they joined forces as a vaudeville turn. Their most recent film is "Cockeyed Cavaliers," and they may shortly present a turn in London. For another famous comedy pair see Laurel and Hardy, no.9, in this series.
Park Drive Cigarettes. Gallager Ltd. Virginia House, London & Belfast.

IMDB entry for Bert Wheeler.
IMDB entry for Robert Woolsey.

A fan site on the pair comments that they saved RKO from bankruptcy.

2 comments:

TAS said...

Two of my favorites!

I've long held the near heretical thought that their 1933 film 'Diplomaniacs' is a far more piercing, funnier piece of political satire than both 'Million Dollar Legs' and 'Duck Soup'.

If you've never seen a W&W film, do whatever ye can to correct that

Richard Gibson said...

I'd never come across these guys before, which is the good thing about this card series, I'm learning about some forgotten stars.